Mixing white and SS appliances

10 years ago

We're getting closer to starting our kitchen remodel (only been planning it for 5 years ... or is it 6?), yay! The lay-out needs only a few minor tweaks so we've moved on to making our final selections before getting started.

I've settled on the GE Profile oven with matching Advantium oven in the SS finish. They've redesigned it so there's less black with a more standard square design, which I like much better than the eyebrow look they had (too much black for my tastes). I contemplated the GE Cafe model because it has a lot more SS but the Profile oven has better features for about the same amount of money. The oven stack will be next to a cubby with our SS toaster oven (our only oven at present, our 19 yr old oven died over the summer).

On the perpendicular wall, separated by the doorway to the DR, is our white KA fridge, which we won't be replacing since it's only 5 years old. The handle on the KA fridge is a similar shape to the handle on the GE ovens.

The DW will be next to the fridge. We're paneling the DW. It's a short wall run to the corner - fridge, DW and sink - and I didn't want it to appear appliance heavy.

The induction cook top - black, possibly with SS trim, depending on which one we choose - will be on the adjacent wall run (opposite the oven stack wall). We're going with a SS hood above it.

(Are you still with me?)

I've gone back and forth about the appliance finishes, worried about how they will look together. I wondered if maybe I should just stick with white but a realtor friend, who lives a few houses away, and a real estate appraiser friend, who lives a few blocks away, have told me that doing anything but SS will hurt us at resale (5-10 yrs down the road) so I hesitate. I know that what will be hot that far down the road can change and SS may be out but will white be in? I definitely do not want to do black; never been a fan of black appliances.

So I had a perhaps crazy idea. For $325, we can buy SS handles for our fridge. It's still a white fridge but maybe the SS will tie it in with the other SS appliances. Besides, I really like SS and white together.

So far, I've only found one inspiration photo on houzz.com to help me.

Traditional Kitchen by San Marino Interior Designers & Decorators Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC.

The white cabs likely help pull off the look, not to mention that the white and SS range is vintage.

rmiriam's lovely kitchen is also serving as an inspiration kitchen for mixing appliance finishes (see link in case you missed her reveal thread).

In case it affects your opinion, cabs will be quartersawn oak (our favorite wood) in a medium stain. We're contemplating SS for the island counter; perimeter counter will be a mid-tone granite or quartz (contenders are Virginia Mist - loved that stone ever since seeing it in Boxerpups' kitchen - or Pebble or Piatra Gray Caesarstone). We have white painted trim work. Floors will be red oak, a bit darker than the cabs. Haven't settled on BS yet or wall color yet, that will depend on counter, but I want to do something fairly lightish. Love the BS in this kitchen (love the kitchen, too):

Farmhouse Kitchen by Los Angeles Interior Designers & Decorators Tommy Chambers Interiors, Inc.

So, is my idea crazy or genius? If you have any inspiration photos that could help me, please post them. TIA!

Here is a link that might be useful: Reveal: Aqua and Moroccan Tile Kitchen

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Comments (5)

meganmca
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Does it actually matter? I mean, 5 yr old fridge. Decent chance that you may replace it in the 5-10 years before you sell--you could always do it right before resale, right?

I wouldn't worry about it unless you hate it (and if you end up hating it...fridges that aren't built in aren't THAT hard to replace!)

Or maybe I missed some other white appliance? Stoves often don't match perfectly anyhow.
tuxedord2
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I posted a similar question though I'm in a different position. We'll be moving in a year and I wanted to appeal to a buyer. We got the same recommendations-- go for SS.

Some people said it's fine and some said you could search on CL for a decent refrigerator. Another noted that it's the time of year that stores are trying to get rid of last years models so you might pick up a new one fairly cheap - then sell the white one on CL. Just a thought.

If you keep it, I think changing the handle would be a good idea but if the refrigerator is the ONLY thing in the entire kitchen that is white-- it might look off regardless. In my case, my cabs are white. Though your trim might be enough to tie in.

That is my long way of saying "I don't know either." Maddening isn't it?
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rmiriam
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks for the shoutout :) Obviously, I'm fine with mixing the colors, and I wouldn't worry about resale - a 5-10 year old SS fridge isn't going to help you much there. However...$325 seems like a lot for SS handles for your fridge, although I agree it would tie everything together. Any chance you could paint them or something? It has the possibility of looking cheesy, but if it does, you can go back to buying the handles, and are only out the $8 can of spray paint.
sjhockeyfan325
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
$325 seems like a lot for SS handles for your fridge

Not sure what handles you're looking at, but we paid $100 per for the handles for our Thermador refrigerator and freezer (or maybe yours is French Door so you need 3?)
lisa_a
Original Author
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks, everyone, for chiming in. ;-)

For the record, I like my white fridge. In fact, I've always liked white appliances although I have to say that SS has grown on me. I wouldn't want a SS fridge because I don't want to deal with fingerprints and I don't want to give up the magnetized pad of paper that we use for our grocery list.

The KA badge on the fridge has SS (or SS coloring) in it so it's already got a little bit of SS and white going on.

Your comments got me wondering, though. A fridge is not a built-in appliance, unlike a DW or an oven, so maybe it's not included in the sale of a home. When we sold our first home, we took our fridge with us to our newly constructed home. I don't remember the contract being written to specifically exclude our fridge from the sale but that was 20 years ago so I can't be sure. Anyway, if fridges aren't generally included in a home's sale, I'm not going to worry about it and I'll go with SS ovens and hood. Sure would like to find more inspiration pics, though.

The handles are through KA - they are replacement parts - so perhaps I could find them cheaper elsewhere. However, I think I may have confused you about the cost. $325 buys us 3 handles (it's a French door fridge with a bottom freezer); the per handle price is $108.11.

rmiriam, I thought about painting the handles - heck, I thought about painting the whole fridge - but I'm worried about how good a job I could do. Badly painted handles would be worse than white handles. I'm great at painting rooms but spray painting is a whole different skill set.